Golden Knights vs. Red Wings Odds
| Red Wings Odds | +145 |
| Golden Knights Odds | -165 |
| Over/Under | 6 |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Detroit Red Wings continue their four-game road trip on Thursday, this time making a stop in Vegas to face the Golden Knights.
Detroit comes into this game at 8-8-2 and has yet to win a game on said road trip, taking losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Dallas Stars.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights enter at 9-7-0 and are winners of five of their last seven games.
We saw Detroit and Vegas go to head-to-head earlier this month, with Detroit coming out on top, 5-2. Is this the matchup that the Wings need to get back in the win column, or will the Golden Knights defend their home ice?
Red Wings Have Struggled On The Road
After going on a hot streak and win four out of five games, the Red Wings have cooled off with two straight losses.
Losing games on the road has been a common theme for them this season, as they are just 3-6 when playing away from their home ice. Since the start of November, Detroit is being outscored 21-10 on the road and giving up an average of 4.2 goals per game.
The Red Wings have struggled all year defensively in 5-on-5 situations, giving up 2.68 goals per 60 minutes and surrendering 13.59 High-Danger Scoring Chances per game. Holding their ground on that end of the ice has proven to be a tough task.
However, the Red Wings have not been bad from an offensive standpoint. In 5-on-5 this season, they find themselves inside the top 10 in Total Goals For and have 2.54 Goals For per 60 minutes, a top-five mark in the league.
If they could piece themselves together on defense, this would be a good team. But for now, they have some holes they need to fill.
No goalie has been announced at the time of writing, so that means it could either be Thomas Greiss or Alex Nedeljkovic. Greiss comes into this one with a SV % of .918 in 5-on-5 compared to Nedeljkovic's SV % of .919, and Greiss has 2.1 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) in 5-on-5 while Nedeljkovic has -0.3 GSAx.
Golden Knights Pack Scoring Punch
The Golden Knights are dealing with a boat load of injuries, including Johnathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore, which will likely impact their depth. However, this Knights team has been playing great hockey recently and I expect that to continue.
The Golden Knights are 7-3 in their last 10 games, a huge reason why they are making their way back up the rankings in the Pacific Division. This is a team that simply knows how to score the puck, scoring 2.67 goals per 60 minutes, and will likely find their way through the Detroit defense.
Furthermore, Vegas is generating 11.99 High-Danger Chances per game in 5-on-5, the fifth most in the league. The scoring opportunities are always there for this team, and they have capitalized on many of them.
However, despite having a great offensive unit, this team can be exposed on the other end of the ice. Vegas finds itself in 32nd in both Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes and High-Danger Chances Against per 60 minutes, which has often to high-scoring affairs and scrambling on the defensive end.
Robin Lehner has provided this team with a decent last line of defense, and he will likely be getting the start in net. In 5-on-5, Lehner has an SV % of .916, but he struggles in high-danger situations, where his SV % takes a steep drop off to .789. He has allowed four goals in his last two starts, and we could see a similar number to that in this one.
Red Wings vs. Golden Knights Pick
Both of these teams have had issues on the defensive end of the ice, which has led me to believe we could see another high-scoring contest.
Their last matchup this season ended with seven total goals. In addition, Vegas has seen a total of at least six goals in seven of its last nine games, and Detroit is right there with them, seeing a total of at least six in seven of the last 10.
The total sits at six goals, but given the trends for both teams that is a number that is capable of being reached.
Pick: Total over 6 (+100)
